As Rafa Nadal prepares to bid farewell after a legendary career, his peers across generations agree on one thing – the Spaniard remains a timeless role model who has shaped tennis for 23 years.
With 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 at Roland Garros, where he was nearly invincible, the 38-year-old Nadal says he's at peace with his decision to retire after next month's Davis Cup.
A four-time Davis Cup champion, Nadal will make his final bow on home soil, partnering with his protege Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning French Open champion poised to inherit the "King of Clay" mantle.
Alcaraz, who grew up idolizing Nadal, cherished the "incredible gift" of playing alongside him earlier this year at the Paris Olympics, held at Roland Garros.
"I couldn't believe it when I watched it ... It was tough to accept it. I was in shock a little bit," Alcaraz told reporters at the Shanghai Masters.
"It is really difficult news for everybody and even tougher for me. He has been my idol since I started playing tennis. I look up to him. Proudly, thanks to him, I really wanted to become a professional tennis player.
"Losing him, in a certain way, is going to be difficult for us, so I will try to enjoy as much as I can when he's going to play (and) enjoy the time with him as much as I can. But it is a shame for tennis and for me."
His "Big Three" rival Novak Djokovic, who played him 60 times and won 31 of those matches, said Nadal's greatest achievement was inspiring millions of children to pick up the sport.
"Your tenacity, dedication and fighting spirit are going to be taught for decades. Your legacy will live forever. Only you know what you had to endure to become an icon of tennis and sport in general," added Djokovic, a 24-time major winner.
"Thank you for pushing me to the very limit so many times in our rivalry, which has impacted me the most as a player."
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner said Nadal's announcement was a bitter pill to swallow and that he was "very lucky" to have gotten to know him on the Tour. He added that the younger generation learned from Nadal's values and on-court etiquette.
"We all saw how good he has been as a player, the lessons he taught us, the young players, how to behave on the court, how to handle tough situations. He gave all of us a lot of emotions when we saw him playing," Sinner said.
"And also to stay humble at the same time, not changing with success, choosing the right people around him, having a great family. There are so many great things he gave to all of us.
"Obviously it's tough, but in another way, everything has a beginning and also an ending."
Ons Jabeur and Maria Sakkari thanked Nadal for inspiring them, along with 20-year-old American Coco Gauff, who was not even born when he turned professional.
"You are amazing! It's been so incredible to witness your greatness and work ethic and be able to learn from it," the world No. 4 said on social media.
But perhaps no player has seen the best of Nadal more than Swiss great Roger Federer, as the two forged an epic rivalry across all surfaces that elevated the sport to stratospheric levels.
Although they were eternal rivals on the Tour, they were close friends off the court, and Nadal teamed up with Federer for the final match of his career two years ago at the Laver Cup.
"What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," Federer said.
"Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It's been an absolute honor!"
